Professors Urge Reform Of Marijuana Legislation

Two Medical School faculty members urged the liberalization of Massachusetts marijuana laws yesterday at a public hearing before the state legislative Committee on Social Welfare.

Lester Grinspoon, associate clinical professor of Psychiatry, and Carl Salzman, assistant professor of Psychiatry in the Medical School, joined spokesmen from a variety of religious, medical and political organizations in attacking what they called popular myths about marijuana.

Several witnesses testified at the hearing that marijuana has taken its place with cigarettes and alcohol as a recreational drug, and is no more dangerous than either tobacco or drinking. "Marijuana is not addictive and is not a stepping stone to the harder drugs," Grinspoon, author of Marijuana Reconsidered, said.

Reform Proposals

Several bills for reducing existing Massachusetts penalties for possession of marijuana were introduced last month. State representative Barney Frank proposed a bill to remove all state controls on marijuana, and state senator Jack H. Backman proposed a more conservative statute to allow the possession and distribution of one ounce or less of grass.

Backman's bill, aimed primarily at drug pushers, would maintain present penalties for cases involving greater amounts of marijuana.

Corrupting Influence

The majority of those who testified at the hearing said that the existing laws were not only unjust, but a corrupting influence in society.

Charles Rogovin, a Fellow at the Kennedy Institute of Politics and former president of the Police Foundation in Washington, said, "The existing laws put everybody in an untenable position." He said they are particularly unfair to the police, and that the legislature must act to "take out of the policeman's mind what is popular and unpopular."

Paul L. Siegler, president of the Massachusetts Libertarian Party and a student at the Harvard Business School, said that although strict laws are thought to strengthen society, "to impose a moral code by force is symptomatic of a weak society." He said the proper course for government was to "stop making restrictive laws and to resort to education in the marketplace of ideas."

A spokesman from the National Council of Churches said that marijuana is a "nickel and dime" affair compared to the dangers of alcoholic beverages.

Several people voiced their objection to the "Big Brother" attitude of the government reflected in existing drug-use laws.

Frank complained that the government has no right to tell people how to "have a good time."